Saint Lucia in 2005

In March 2005, 79-year-old Sir John Compton returned as the leader of Saint Lucia’s official opposition party, the United Workers’ Party (UWP). Compton, who replaced Vaughan Lewis, had cofounded the UWP in 1964 and led it for three decades before relinquishing control.

Prime Minister Kenny Anthony insisted in May that the apparent antihanging stance of the Privy Council in London—the country’s final court of appeal—would not stop Saint Lucia from executing convicted murderers; four condemned men were on death row. He declared that violence had become “a tidal wave that is threatening the entire Caribbean” and needed to be deterred. At the time of Anthony’s speech, Saint Lucia had already had 17 murders for the year. Anthony was criticized by the country’s Centre for Legal Aid and Human Rights, however, for his “premature” announcement.

A motion of no confidence in the St. Lucia Labour Party (SLP) government was defeated in Parliament in June. The motion, filed by a newly reinvigorated UWP opposition, was inspired by the alleged improper use of funds by a government agency operating under the aegis of the Ministry of Social Transformation. In June the government announced that it would activate its commission to review and reform the country’s constitution, which was more than 25 years old.